Promise Me
by C3L35714
Summary: Because life, for others, goes on. Even if it doesn't for May. -happy ending- Rated T for character death, but it does have a HAPPY ENDING.


**Heads-up! This is definitely angst-filled, in case you didn't see it earlier! It does end well, though. There is a slight hint towards PokéShipping and FestivalShipping!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon or its characters. I made up her birthday because she doesn't actually have one.**

* * *

_"What are you doing? Just rest, May!" Drew pleaded, looking at her in concern. They were in a hospital, Norman, Caroline, Max, Drew, and Solidad. And May. But May was the patient. She had gotten into an accident earlier that week, and the end result was that she was terribly injured, possibly paralyzed, and in serious trouble. The doctors hadn't even predicted her to make it for the first night, but she had pulled through. It was currently three days after her immediate admission into the hospital._

_The first day, she spent the whole day unconscious or asleep. And Drew was her only company._

_The second morning, she had waken up. When she had a break from all the tests, May managed to whisper a message to Drew. "Bring Solidad too," she'd mouthed after learning her parents and brother were on their way already. The coordinator was called and had rushed in immediately. _

_When May's family had arrived, Drew and Solidad stepped out while they talked. "What...what happens if she doesn't make it?" he asked her with tired but alert eyes._

_Solidad paused, then sighed. "I don't know, Drew. I don't want to think about it either. But I do know that May is strong."_

_None of them left the hospital for the whole day or night._

_On the third morning, Drew had awoken before everyone else and had gone to visit May, who, surprisingly, was awake and completely conscious. "Hi," he croaked, and she lifted a hand in a min-wave. Drew sat down beside her bed and held her hand. She gave him a light squeeze and tilted her head towards the table across the room, where a voice-recorder lay. _

_"Do you want me to get that?" She nodded, and he brought it back. _

_"Press record," she whispered, and he frowned but did so, putting it by her mouth._

_"You are one of the best things that ever happened to me," she said slowly, but certainly. "From the second I saw you in Slateport City, something...just clicked. At first it was hatred and rivalry, and then friendship. You were my backbone, what I leaned on and what gave me strength. You were also my closest friend, and you gave me something to look forward to...especially your roses. I...I still have them all, by the way. Despite your cocky arrogance, you helped me out so many times. I don't know what I would have done without you, contest rival or other. And...I love you, Drew," she finished carefully, her eyes closed. _

_Drew was stunned, to say the least. "M-May?"_

_"I love you. But please, if something happens to me, don't beat yourself up too. Just take care of my Pokémon and ribbons and...stuff like that...If something happens to me, know I have no regrets...except not telling you that I love you sooner. Promise me..." she said, and looked up at him._

_Sapphire eyes met emerald ones._

_Drew swallowed. "I promise," he choked out. She nodded and made a "stop" motion towards the recorder. Drew slowly turned it off, and turned to her. "But nothing is going to happen to you," he said, as if promising himself as much as her._

_"Who knows?" she managed weakly, a small grin tugging at her lips._

_"That's not funny," he muttered. "May, I...I love you too." _

_She smiled back. But that was it. No special occasion, no fireworks. Just two teenagers in love, one of them a hospital patient. May fell asleep soon after, and left Drew to stare forlornly at the recorder. Pressing play, he realized that May had spoken a message to each member of her family, as well as to her Pokémon, Solidad and Harley, and Ash. He didn't listen to the other messages, though. It felt too much of an invasion of privacy._

_Later that night, May's heart-rate began to slow down, and the doctors could do nothing to speed it up. It was with heavy, heavy hearts and anxious minds that May's friends and family entered the room._

_And it was then that May pulled off her oxygen mask, causing them to draw in their own breath. _

_"What are you doing? Just rest, May!" Drew pleaded, looking down at her in concern. She shook her head._

_"...Made a...promise to...myself...I'd die with...a smile...on my face...and my last words being, "I love you all," she whispered. May's Pokémon exploded from their PokéBalls and crowded the room. She smiled at them all and met all their eyes. Then she coughed. "...D-Drew...?"_

_He swallowed and stepped forward, "May?"_

_"...Kiss...?" she coughed again, masking her words. But he got the message. Everyone else backed up a little except Solidad, who gently pushed him forward. No one spoke any complaints about her request, and Drew grasped onto her hand._

_And he kissed her. May squeezed his hand, and they stayed like that for a while. It was eternity to the two of them though, and neither wanted it to stop._

_But they didn't have a say in the matter._

_Drew pulled back and May smiled again. "Love you all." And her eyes shut._

_The smile was still on her face though, a very sweet smile._

_There was absolute silence in the room until Max burst into tears and hugged his mother, who started crying as well. _

_The noise brought the doctors and nurses into the room, and the ensuing time was chaos. As Norman explained what had happened and how, the doctors escorted out all Pokémon and people, except Drew and Caroline. The main doctor that they had all seen multiple times came and started typing away on his monitor. A graph showed up on the screen, with a line for heartbeat._

_It was flat._

_A tear streaked down Drew's face._

_The doctor began to talk to Caroline, but Drew wasn't listening. He walked over again to her bedside and looked at her perfect face. A second tear fell, and it plopped down on her cheek. Drew raised his hand, slowly, to wipe it off._

_Then he leaned down and kissed her, one last time._

* * *

That was a year ago. Today was the anniversary of May's death. The ironically horrible thing was, her birthday was in exactly a month.

Drew straightened his jacket and continued walking. Walking, into the Petalburg City Cemetery. He had changed his attire a while ago, and was wearing black jeans, black shoes, and an emerald-green tee-shirt. Over that was a black jacket with sleeves normally rolled to the elbow.

After striding through the gates, Drew made his way over to a certain gravestone.

May Maple  
Loved daughter, sister, and friend to many.  
Her spirit will always be with us.  
5/10/01-4/10/15

He just looked at the gravestone for a while, then laid down next to it. Closing his eyes, it was just like May was sitting next to him, smiling and laughing. He remembered her perfectly, of course, and her laughter was so clear in his mind it was almost frightening. As memories flashed through his mind, a tear slipped down his cheek. But his mouth stayed quirked in a smile, just like hers.

He would see her again. Some day. But until then, he'd make due with her spirit, which he knew would always be watching.

* * *

Decades passed. Every year, on the day of her death and her birthday, Drew would lay by her grave until the sun had gone down. And then he would listen to her voice recording until it had been burned into his mind.

He had made a good name to himself as a consistent Grand Festival winner, and lived life to the fullest he possibly could. He remembered to enjoy himself and not dwell on what could not be fixed, but his dreams were filled of his best friend, closest rival, and true love.

Time passed, and with it went the lives of friends and family. Because life, for others, goes on. May's friend Ash Ketchum went on in becoming a Pokémon Master, just like he had promised. He and his best buddy had been buried together, on the same day, right next to his own mother and wife, the Cerulean City Gym Leader.

Alongside May lay her own parents and brother, all of whom pledged to live every day in honor of her.

And even Solidad refused a bridesmaid at her wedding with a certain Cacturn-loving man, saying that May would be taking the honor.

And Drew? Well, he lived through his life. When his time passed, he and his ever-faithful Roserade were laid to rest in Petalburg City.

May, on the other hand, watched with joy and love as she indeed gave Solidad as many blessings as possible, watched over her parents, and congratulated Ash on his victory.

And in the end, she really was joyfully reunited with her best friend, closest rival, and true love.

* * *

***takes a deep sigh, absorbing everything* Alright. What did you think? A little more angst-filled than my usual things. I hope it ended well, though!**

**Remember to check in throughout all of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!**

**Reviews and PMs are appreciated! :)**


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